2014 BMW M3/M4

Meet The Latest And Greatest From BMW's M Division

This is shaping up to be a banner year for BMW. Sales are up. The BMW i8, a hybrid supercar that marries an electric and gasoline engine with a futuristic design, complete with aluminum and polycarbonate body parts and rising doors, is hitting the American market this month. And best of all for motoring enthusiasts, this is the year we finally get to drive BMW's latest M3 and its coupe variant, the M4.

If you've been living under a rock for the past few decades, you might not know that the M3, and the 3-Series platform on which it's built, has been perhaps the single most successful sedan in automotive history, cracking Car & Driver's Top 10 list for an astonishing 22 years in a row. But up until now, their formula for success has been fairly straightforward: uncompromising driving pleasure, worthy of their moniker as "The Ultimate Driving Machine." But my, how the times have changed: environmental regulations, "gas guzzler" taxes and something you may not have heard of, or even care about, but apparently has legislators and the voting public up in arms: global warming.

All these things are contributing to shifting consumer demand. No longer do we prioritize the loudest, fastest cars. It's not that speed doesn't matter. And it's certainly not that driving pleasure is out. But comfort is in, in a big way. People expect a certain amount of luxury when they're shelling out the big bucks for a car, and if they want it to be fast and handle corners with ease, they're even more concerned about things like its fuel economy or EPA rating.

Enter the new BMW M3 and M4.

Gone is last generation's thirsty V8, replaced with a twin-turbo inline-six, generating some 430 horsepower, barely better than its predecessor. A twin-turbo engine on an M car?! Enthusiasts everywhere were outraged. "Give me direct injection or give me death!" But this new engine delivers nearly 370 pound-feet of torque beginning at only 1800 rpm, meaning that power is on tap right away. The result is a four-seater that will rocket you to 60 mph faster than a Porsche 911. And as for fuel economy, well, let's just say this: After a day of thrashing the car around with a lead foot, you'll feel a lot less guilty when you finally have to refuel and realize you were getting anywhere from 18 to 26 mpg.

As for appearances, well, the M3 and M4 are both lookers. The signature twin-kidney grille and menacing front air intakes signify to everyone that your car means business, but if you're really looking to up the cool factor, we suggest adding the optional Lighting Package, with its full LED headlights — these suckers stand out even in broad daylight.

It seems that the German geniuses responsible for the latest M cars have not only not crumbled under the weight of new consumer expectations but have instead managed to implement them — seamlessly. The new M3 and M4 truly are no-compromise sports sedans.